Sliding gates and operating assembly for railway hopper cars



April 7, 1964 SLIDING GATES AND Filed Oct. 19, 1959 w. A. BEAUCHAMP 3,127,352 OPERATING ASSEMBLY FORRAILWAY HOPPER CARS 5 Sheets-Sheet I1 INVENTOR. MAP/2E0 6. BEHUCHHMP April 7, 1964 w. A. BEAUCHAMP 3,127,852

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INVENTOR. W/LFRED H. 155 uc'Ha/vyp United States Patent 3,127,852 SLIDING GATES AND OPERATING ASSEMBLY FOR RAILWAY HOPPER CARS Wilfred A. Beauchamp, Chicago, Ill., assignor to The Youngstown Steel Door Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Filed Oct. 19, 1959, Ser. No. 847,316 5 Claims. (Cl. 105-253) This invention relates to gates for railway hopper cars and more particularly to hoppers of covered railway hopper cars.

It is an object of this invention to provide gates for the hoppers of railway hopper cars which shall be capable of easy opening and closing movements.

A further object is to provide gates for the hoppers of railway hopper cars which shall be so supported as to minimize interference with the opening and closing movements of the gates.

A further object is to provide gates for the hoppers of railway hopper cars which shall have combined horizontal and vertical movements during opening and closing of the gates.

A further object is to provide gates for the hoppers of railway hopper cars which shall minimize the resistance of the load in the hoppers to opening and closing movements of the gates.

A further object is to provide gates for the hoppers of railway hopper cars which shall have a greater clearance relative to the hoppers during opening and closing movements than presently known gates.

A further object is tolprovide gates forthe hoppers of railway hopper cars which shall 'be capable of effectively sealing the hoppers when closed.

A further object is to provide gates for the hoppers of railway hopper cars which shall permit the use of rubber or other flexible sealing means cooperating with the gates to seal the hoppers.

A further object is to provide gates for the hoppers of railway hopper cars which shall be capable of opening movement to completely expose the gates for cleaning but which shall otherwise be limited in opening movement.

A further object is to provide gates for the hoppers of railway hopper cars which shall be so mounted as to readily permit removal of the gates for repair or replacement.

A further object is to provide gates for the hoppers of railway hopper cars which shall have associated therewith locks of a novel nature.

A further object is to provide gates for the hoppers of railway hopper cars wherein the gates shall comprise a supporting member slidable to open and closed positions and a closure member supported upon the supporting member but having no physical connection therewith.

A further object is to provide gates for the hoppers of railway hopper cars wherein the gates shall comprise a 1 supporting member slidable to open and closed positions and a closure member supported upon and movable vertically relative to the supporting member but having no physical connection therewith.

Other objects of the invention will become clear as the description thereof proceeds.

3,127,852 Patented Apr. 7, 1964 FIG. 7 is a View similar to FIG. 3 showing the gate in open position.

FIG. 8 is a vertical section taken on line 88 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation of the novel actuating and locking means of the instant invention.

FIG. 10 is a vertical section taken on line ill-1i) of FIG. 2.

In the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 10 designates a hopper of the well-known covered hopper car. A rectangular frame 11 is secured in any desired manner to the discharge end of the hopper. The frame which extends downwardly from the hopper comprises side members 12 and 13 substantially Z-shaped in section, a substantially Z-shaped front member 14 and a substantially inverted U- shaped rear member 15. The upper ends of the front and side frame members are similar in contour to the rear frame member so that a recess 16 is provided for the reception of a sealing gasket (not shown) for the closure gate of the instant invention. The frame members thus have upper similar flanges 18, 19, 2t and 21 which extend downwardly and inwardly from the hopper 10.

The gate comprises a flat plate 17 which in closed position bears upwardly against the flanges 13, 19, 2t) and 21 of the hopper frame and extends substantially across the gasket recess 16. Similar brackets 22 are secured as by means of welding to the underside of the plate 17 adjacent to the frame member 13. Each of the brackets provides a base 23. An inner wall 24 extends downwardly from the base. The lower portion of the wall is turned inwardly to provide an upwardly and rearwardly inclined flange 25. The brackets also provide a downwardly and forwardly inclined flange 27 which is disposed outwardly of the inclined flange 25.

Similar brackets 28 which are the reverse of brackets 22 are secured to the underside of the gate adjacent to the hopper frame member 12. Each of the brackets 28 comprises a base 29 from which a Wall 3% depends. The wall 30 is flanged inwardly to provide an upwardly and rearwardly inclined flange 31. A downwardly and forwardly inclined portion 33 extends downwardly from the base 29 in outwardly disposed relationship to the flange 31. The plate 17 is freely supported upon a rectangular frame 34 of the gate. The side members 355 and 36 of the frame are formed of similar but reversed castings. The castings are formed with outwardly extending flanges 37 and 38. The side members carry rollers 39 mounted upon pins 40. The rollers 39 are disposed beneath the inclined portions 27 and 33 of the brackets 22 and 23. Lugs L project inwardly from the side members 35 and 36 so as to lie above the upwardly and outwardly extending flanges provided on the brackets 22 and 28.

The frame 34 also comprises a front member 41 in the form of a bar which extends between and is secured to-the front ends of the side members 35 and 36 as by welding.

I A rack bar 42 is disposed between the side members 35 and 36 of the frame. The front end of the rack bar is secured as by welding to the front member 41 of the frame. The rack bar extends rearwardly beyond the hopper into meshing engagement with a pinion 43 carried by a shaft 44.

The rack bar 42 is also secured to the side frame mem- -bers 35 and 36. The castings of which the side members are formed are cast with inwardly extending, alined, inverted V-shaped lugs 45 and 46. Similar lugs 47 and 48 alined with the lugs 45 and 46 extend from the sides .upon and welded to the lugs 45 and 47 and the lugs 46 and 48.

One end of shaft 44 carries a bushing 51 which is journalled in a bearing plate 52 welded to an extension of side hopper frame member 13. The opposite end of shaft 44 carries a bushing 53 the outer end of which is enlarged as shown at 54, and provided with inclined radial openings 55 into which one end of a bar can selectively be placed in order to rotate the shaft. The bushing 53 is journalled in a bearing 56 integral with a bracket B riveted to an extension of side hopper frame member 12.

The outer ends of the side hopper frame members are supported by angle members 57 and 58 which are secured to the hopper in the well-known manner. An angle member 59 extends between and is secured to the angle members 57 and 58 by bolts 60 and 61 so that it can readily be removed.

A stop member 62 is pivotally supported upon angle member 57 for swing movement in a vertical plane. The stop member normally hangs in the path of opening movement of the gate supporting frame 34 in order to limit such movement. However, should it be desired to move the plate 17 entirely beyond the hopper frame for cleaning it can be accomplished by swinging the stop member 62 upwardly to permit the gate to pass under it. Should it become necessary to repair or replace the gate the angle member 59 can readily be removed including the gate and its supporting frame removed.

An angle member 63 is secured to the rear hopper frame member in alinement with the lower edge thereof. The angle member 63 lies directly above the rack 42. The thickness of the rack bar beneath angle member 63 is increased to a point adjacent to the angle member so that the latter will resist any tendency of the rack bar to move upwardly when the shaft is rotated to open the gate.

Two rows of horizontally spaced rivets 64 and 65 or the like are secured to the side hopper frame members 12 and 13 and their extensions. The rivets are formed with conical-shaped heads 66 and 67 which lie on the inside of the side members and their extensions. The bottom row of conical-shaped rivet heads 66 engage the underside of the flanges 37 and 38 of the side members and 36 of the frame 34 so as to support the frame and the plate 17. The flanges 37 and 38 lie beneath the conicalshaped rivet heads 67 of the upper row of rivets. The latter rivet heads prevent undesired upward movement of the frame 34.

The gate is shown in closed position in FIGURE 3 of the drawings. In this position the upper surface of the plate 17 engages the downwardly and inwardly extending flanges of the hopper frame so that the material in the hopper is safely retained. Also the front or forward edge of the plate is in contact with the front hopper frame member 14. To open the gate so that the material in the hopper can be discharged, shaft 44 is rotated clockwise thereby producing rotation of the pinion 43. Rotation of the pinion 43 moves the rack bar 42 with which it is engaged and the frame 34 to which the rack bar is secured rearwardly or in opening direction. As the rollers 39 carried by the side members of frame 34 move in this direction the plate lowers by gravity until it is supported by the front and side members of the frame. The shaft is rotated until the opening or rearward movement of plate and frame is arrested by the pivoted stop 62.

In the event that the plate 17 adheres to the material in the hopper so that the action of gravity is not effective to lower the plate upon the frame 34, the instant invention provides a positive force capable of breaking away the plate from the material. The frame is free to move in opening or rearward direction. This movement of the frame brings the lugs L into engagement with the upwardly and rearwardly inclined flanges 25 and 31. Continued movement of the frame causes the lugs to exert a positive downward force upon these flanges. In this manner the plate 17 is forced downward and the adhesion of the plate to the material is broken. The plate can then be moved in opening direction with the frame 34.

In this movement most of the material on the plate is brushed off by the rear member of the hopper frame. Any material that may remain on the plate after it is opened can be brushed off. If a more thorough job of cleaning is desired the stop 62 may be swung upwardly and the plate moved completely beyond the hopper frame. When the gate is moved toward closed position the stop will fall to its normal position and again function as a stop.

To close the discharge opening of the hopper the shaft 44 is rotated counterclockwise. The pinion is thereby rotated counterclockwise and through its engagement with the rack bar moves the frame 34 and the plate 17 forwardly or in closing direction upon the spaced conical rivet heads 66. Little, if any, material can lodge on the rivet heads so that no interference by the material with the closing movement of the gate can occur.

Reference to FIGURE 6 of the drawings will show that as the plate and frame are moved forwardly or in closing direction the forward edge of the plate, which extends beyond the frame 34, contacts the front member 14 of the hopper frame while the front member 41 of the frame 34 is spaced from the frame member 14. Upon continued rotation of the shaft the frame 34 will move forward. The plate 17 cannot also move forward because of its engagement with the frame member 14. Forward movement at this time of frame 34 will cause rollers 39 to bear upwardly against the downwardly and inwardly inclined portions 27 and 33 of the brackets 22 and 28, secured to the underside of the plate, and move the plate upwardly into engagement with the hopper frame as shown in FIGURE 3. The discharge opening of the hop per is now closed, a condition which has been obtained without interference from accumulated spilled material.

The invention provides means for locking the shaft against rotation when the gate has been closed. For this purpose a bearing member 68 is bolted upon the bushing 53. The underside of the bearing member is curved to fit the bushing. The top of the bearing member is flat.

The bearing member 68 is fastened upon the bushing 53 by means of a bolt 69 which is threaded into the bushing as shown at 70 and extends into a circular opening 71 in the shaft. The bolt 69 extends through an elongated opening 72 which lies at an acute angle to the axis of the shaft.

The bracket B which provides the bearing member 56 for the shaft is formed with spaced ears 73 and 74. A locking cam 75 is pivotally supported between the'ears 73 and 74 by a pin which extends through a hub 76 of the cam and is supported in the cars. A horizontal wall 77 extends outwardly from the hub and between vertical flanges 78 and 79 which lie between and adjacent to the cars 73 and 74. The inner portion of the lower edges of the vertical flanges 78 and 79 are curved as shown at 80.

The vertical flanges 78 and 79 are provided with holes 81 and 82 which are alined with holes 83 and 84 when the cam is in locking position so that a seal (not shown) may be passed through the holes. Finger grips 85 and 86 extend outwardly from the vertical flanges.

To lock the shaft against rotation the cam is swung down into engagement with the flat surface of the hearing member 68 and a seal is passed through the alined openings 81, 82, 83 and 84 in the vertical flanges 78 and 79 and the ears 73 and 74. In the event that wear in any of the actuating members of the frame 34 has occurred and the cam does not bear properly upon the bearing member, the bolt 69 is loosened so that the hearing member can be adjusted upon the bushing until proper bearing of the cam upon it is restored. This adjustment is obtained by the inclined slot 72 formed in the bearing member. The bolt is then tightened and the shaft can effectively be locked.

It will be apparent that numerous changes and modifications in the details of the invention will be clear to those skilled in the art. It is intended, therefore, that all such modifications and changes be comprehended within this invention which is to be limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a railway car having a hopper provided with a discharge opening and a frame having front, side and rear members secured to the hopper adjacent to the discharge opening and extending downwardly from the hopper, a gate for closing the discharge opening, said gate comprising a sliding member, a closure member having front, side and rear portions supported upon said sliding member, said front portion of said closure member projecting beyond said sliding member toward said front member of said hopper frame, brackets secured to the underside of said closure member, said brackets having portions inclined downwardly and toward said front member of said hopper frame, rollers carried by said sliding member, said rollers being disposed beneath said inclined portions, means on said hopper frame supporting said sliding member for sliding movement, said hopper frame extending beyond said hopper and operating means on said extending portion of said hopper frame and said sliding member for imparting sliding movement to said sliding member, said operating means sliding said gate toward said front member of said hopper frame to close the discharge opening, said front portion of said closure member being engaged with said front member of said hopper frame prior to the completion of the sliding movement of said sliding member, said rollers engaging said inclined portions of said brackets during the final closing movement of said sliding member and raising said closure member into engagement with said hopper frame.

2. In a railway car having a hopper provided with a discharge opening and a frame having front, side and rear members secured to the hopper adjacent to the discharge opening and extending downwardly from the hopper, a gate for closing the discharge opening, said gate comprising a sliding member, a closure member having front, side and rear portions supported upon said sliding member, said front portion of said closure member projecting beyond said sliding member toward said front member of said hopper frame for contact therewith when said gate is moved toward closed position, brackets secured to the underside of said closure member, said brackets having portions inclined downwardly and toward said front member of said hopper frame, flanges spaced from said inclined portions and inclined downwardly and to- Ward said front member of said hopper frame, rollers carried by said sliding member, said rollers being disposed beneath said inclined portions, lugs projecting from said sliding members, said lugs overlapping said inclined flanges when said closure member is in closed and raised position, spaced means on said hopper frame supporting said sliding member for sliding movement, and operating means for imparting sliding movement to said sliding member, said operating means sliding said gate away from said front member of said hopper frame to open the discharge opening, said lugs engaging and exerting a downward pressure on said inclined flanges during the initial sliding movement of said sliding member to force said closure member downward away from said hopper frame when said closure member is frozen to said frame. 3. In a railway car having a hopper provided with a discharge opening and a frame having front, side and rear members secured to the hopper adjacent to the discharge opening and extending downwardly from the hopper, a gate for closing the discharge opening, said gate comprising a sliding frame embodying side and front members and a closure member supported upon said sliding frame, said closure member projecting beyond said front member of said sliding frame toward said front member of said hopper frame so as to contact said front member of said hopper frame during closing movement of said gate, operatively associated means on said sliding frame and the underside of said closure member for imparting upward movement to said closure member during closing movement of said gate, means on said hopper frame supporting said sliding frame for sliding movement, a rack bar secured to said front member of said sliding frame and extending rearwardly therefrom between and in spaced relationship to said side members of said sliding frame, members extending between and secured to said rack bar and said side members of said sliding frame, whereby said rack bar constitutes an integral part of said sliding frame, and means carried by said hopper frame operatively associated with said rack bar for imparting sliding movement to said sliding frame.

4. In a railway car having a hopper provided with a discharge opening and a frame secured to the hopper adjacent to the discharge opening and extending downwardly from the hopper, a gate for closing the discharge opening, a rack bar secured to said gate, a shaft journalled in said hopper frame, a pinion mounted on said shaft in meshing engagement with said rack bar, means on one end of said shaft operable to impart rotation thereto, a locking cam pivotally mounted on said hopper frame for swinging movement in a plane parallel to the axis of said shaft, a bearing member mounted on said shaft engageable by said locking cam to lock said shaft against rotation, and means adjustably and releasably securing said bearing member for circumferential movement about said shaft and for rotation therewith, for the purpose set forth.

5. In a railway car having a hopper provided with a discharge opening and a frame secured to the hopper adjacent to the discharge opening and extending downwardly from the hopper, a gate for closing the discharge opening, a rack bar secured to said gate, a shaft journalled in said hopper frame, a pinion mounted on said shaft in meshing engagement with said rack bar, means on one end of said shaft operable to impart rotation thereto, a locking cam pivotally mounted on said hopper frame for swinging movement in a plane parallel to the axis of said shaft, a bearing member mounted on said shaft for circumferential movement relative thereto and engageable by said locking cam to lock said shaft against rotation, said bearing member having an elongated slot lying at an acute angle to the axis of said shaft, and a bolt extending through said slot and having threaded engagement with said shaft to fasten said bearing member in adjusted position upon said shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 502,584 Rettig Aug. 1, 1893 665,431 Ham Jan. 8, 1901 1,316,713 Guay Sept. 23, 1919 1,623,303 Burnett Apr. 15, 1927 1,699,860 Suckfield Jan. 22, 1929 2,145,173 Hankins Jan. 24, 1939 2,145,174 Hankins Ian. 24, 1939 2,738,739 Dorey Mar. 20, 1956 2,778,319 Dorey Ian. 22, 1957 2,855,864 Dath Oct. 14, 1958 2,898,871 Dath Aug. 11, 1959 2,989,931 Joy Jan. 27, 1961 2,989,008 Lindstrom June 20, 1961 3,085,517 Smith Apr. 16, 1963 

1. IN A RAILWAY CAR HAVING A HOPPER PROVIDED WITH A DISCHARGE OPENING AND A FRAME HAVING FRONT, SIDE AND REAR MEMBERS SECURED TO THE HOPPER ADJACENT TO THE DISCHARGE OPENING AND EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM THE HOPPER, A GATE FOR CLOSING THE DISCHARGE OPENING, SAID GATE COMPRISING A SLIDING MEMBER, A CLOSURE MEMBER HAVING FRONT, SIDE AND REAR PORTIONS SUPPORTED UPON SAID SLIDING MEMBER, SAID FRONT PORTION OF SAID CLOSURE MEMBER PROJECTING BEYOND SAID SLIDING MEMBER TOWARD SAID FRONT MEMBER OF SAID HOPPER FRAME, BRACKETS SECURED TO THE UNDERSIDE OF SAID CLOSURE MEMBER, SAID BRACKETS HAVING PORTIONS INCLINED DOWNWARDLY AND TOWARD SAID FRONT MEMBER OF SAID HOPPER FRAME, ROLLERS CARRIED BY SAID SLIDING MEMBER, SAID ROLLERS BEING DISPOSED BENEATH SAID INCLINED PORTIONS, MEANS ON SAID HOPPER FRAME SUPPORTING SAID SLIDING MEMBER FOR SLIDING MOVEMENT, SAID HOPPER FRAME EXTENDING BEYOND SAID HOPPER AND OPERATING MEANS ON SAID EXTENDING PORTION OF SAID HOPPER FRAME AND SAID SLIDING MEMBER FOR IMPARTING SLIDING MOVEMENT TO SAID SLIDING MEMBER, SAID OPERATING MEANS SLIDING SAID GATE TOWARD SAID FRONT MEMBER OF SAID HOPPER FRAME TO CLOSE THE DISCHARGE OPENING, SAID FRONT PORTION OF SAID CLOSURE MEMBER BEING ENGAGED WITH SAID FRONT MEMBER OF SAID HOPPER FRAME PRIOR TO THE COMPLETION OF THE SLIDING MOVEMENT OF SAID SLIDING MEMBER, SAID ROLLERS ENGAGING SAID INCLINED PORTIONS OF SAID BRACKETS DURING THE FINAL CLOSING MOVEMENT OF SAID SLIDING MEMBER AND RAISING SAID CLOSURE MEMBER INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID HOPPER FRAME. 